Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin tops list of most signings in 2022 ahead of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe

Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin tops the list with the most appearances completed in Europe’s top five leagues in 2022.

The Frenchman tops a star-studded list that includes Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Vinicius Junior.

Saint-Maximin played his part in Newcastle’s impressive turnaround in 2022 which began as a relegation battle.

Handling the threat of relegation, Eddie Howe’s side have enjoyed a sensational start to the season, finishing 2022 in third place and a realistic record of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

The 25-year-old has attempted 92 tricks all year, six more than Messi at 86 and seven ahead of AC Milan’s Rafael Leao.

Other notable names on the list include Barcelona’s Ousmane Demble, Everton’s Dwight McNeil and Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha.

But it is Saint-Maximin who leads the way, confirming his reputation as a nightmarish defender.

His accurate shooting and mesmerizing footwork have caused his opponents sleepless nights on many occasions over the past year and have helped Newcastle retain their Premier League status.

After a strong start to the season, Saint-Maximin struggled to regain momentum after being sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Ironically the injury came after he scored his only goal of the season, a stunning goal to save a point against Wolves in August.

He now faces a big battle to regain his place in Howe’s starting XI, with the Magpies flying into the top three and set to play a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Leicester later this month.

Despite making just one start since August, the difficult Frenchman still appears to be in Howe’s plans as Newcastle burst into the end of the season as this season’s surprise package.